3 Unexpected Costs of Hearing Loss

For many, hearing loss is just a part of daily life. With the right tools and services at hand, someone who has experienced hearing loss can live to its fullest without too much trouble.

But when it comes to untreated hearing loss, it can have some unexpected long-term costs, according to recent findings.

Memory loss

Recent studies have shown that there is a link between untreated hearing loss and memory diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Depending on how extreme the hearing loss is, the onset of these brain diseases can be more rapid. Researchers found that with less listening and mental stimulation, a person with untreated hearing loss can begin to lose cognitive abilities that are going unused.

Exhaustion

If left untreated, hearing loss can also contribute to increased fatigue and exhaustion in your daily life. And with feelings of tiredness come additional physical symptoms, such as headaches and added stress. These can put strain on your daily activities as well, including your sleep patterns and your eating habits. Taking care of yourself and your hearing loss has a direct impact on your alertness and your attitude.

Depression

Untreated hearing loss affects more than just your physical being – it also can have a negative effect on your mental wellbeing. Hearing loss, or the realization that you’ve experienced some degree of hearing loss, can carry similar emotional heft to life events such as divorce or major health changes. People can tend to avoid social situations to keep themselves from struggling to listen – this isolation can lead to depression in people with hearing loss. And the frustration of communicating with others can also lead to irritability and depressive tendencies.

Get treated

Hearing loss is just a fact of life. Don’t let it defeat you – there are plentiful ways to treat your hearing loss that will help prevent these costs from affecting you.